Daisy Ridley’s favoriteStar Warsexperience may surprise you, but her reasoning makes sense. As the star ofStar Wars’ sequel trilogy, there was a lot of pressure on Ridley’s shoulders. Her character, Rey, was the embodiment of a new generation of Jedi, especially in the wake of Luke Skywalker’s disappearance and subsequent sacrificial death.
Sadly, the sequel trilogy proved to be just as, if not more, divisive as George Lucas’Star Warsprequel trilogy did in the early 2000s, with critics and fans at odds over the sequel trilogy’s lack of narrative cohesion and its handling of the franchise’s legacy characters.Star Wars: The Force AwakensandStar Wars: The Last Jedi,especially, split theStar Warsfandom right down the middle.
The one thing most viewers can agree on, however, is thatStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalkeris the least effective movie in theStar Warssequel trilogy, burdened by too many ideas, a disjointed narrative continuation, and an overwhelming need for nostalgia. Was Palpatine’s return really necessary?
And yet, as Ridley shared in a 2023 interview withThe Hollywood Reporter,Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalkerwas the actresses’ favorite filmmaking experienceduring the sequel trilogy’s intense five-year production period, and I can fully understand why.
Daisy Ridley Loved Making The Rise Of Skywalker
During her interview withTHR, Ridley revealed that, while filmingThe Force AwakensandThe Last Jedi,she was anxious about her performance and the overwhelming weight of leading aStar Warsmovie. Thoughts like“They’ve chosen the wrong person,”and“I’m gonna screw it all up,”affected how she felt during production.
That all changed during filming forThe Rise of Skywalker, however. As Ridley explained, she felt much more secure in the role, safe with the crew and her fellow cast members. This allowed her to feel more present during the shoot and fully experience the excitement of making aStar Warsmovie.
And then by the third one, I had little time to pause. I still had moments of feeling like, “Oh my God, am I terrible?” But I also knew that I worked really hard and that I was in a very safe environment with a lot of people that I already knew. So I felt very comfortable, and I really made an effort to be present every day. And it was my favorite filming experience for that reason because I was really taking in everything, and none of the joy and excitement had gone. So I felt like I could breathe a little easier. I mean, I loved all of them, but it was nice to really be in my body for that last filming experience.
Ridley’s Explanation Makes Perfect Sense
Star Warsaudiences may feel differently aboutThe Rise of Skywalker, but Ridley’s explanation of why she enjoyed making that movie, more than the others, makes perfect sense. Ridley’s experience of makingThe Rise of Skywalkerperfectly parallels Rey embracing her new destiny as a Jedi in the sequel trilogy’s last installment, too.
Ridley’s experience of makingThe Rise of Skywalkerperfectly parallels Rey embracing her new destiny as a Jedi in the sequel trilogy’s last installment.
InThe Force Awakens, Rey didn’t even know she was Force-sensitive. She was lost in the galaxy, running into dangerous situations headfirst, and all the while, she just wanted to return home. Overcoming that confusion and anxiety was part of Rey’s journey inThe Force Awakens, and Ridley understandably dealt with those feelings in real life as well.
InThe Last Jedi, Rey was starting to understand more about her power, but she was still reluctant to embrace her destiny. How could she be the one to lead a new generation of Jedi when others, like Luke and Leia, were still around? How did that become her responsibility? With Luke’s and Mark Hamill’sStar Warsjourneys coming to an end inThe Last Jedi, Ridley’s role became even more important.
InThe Rise of Skywalker, Ridley’s newfound earned confidence shines through in her portrayal of Rey. Much like Ridley felt secure on set, Rey felt secure in her power, taking on Kylo Ren and Palpatine with a ferociousness we hadn’t seen before.We can feel that Ridley came into her own onThe Rise of Skywalkerset because it’s visible on the screen.
What Daisy Ridley’s Favorite Star Wars Movie Means For Rey’s Return
Interestingly, thatHollywood Reporterinterview took place a few months beforeStar WarsCelebration 2023, where it was confirmed thatRidley will return to lead a newStar Warsmovie set 15 years afterThe Rise of Skywalker. Tentatively titledStar Wars: New Jedi Order, Rey will have been busy training a new generation of Jedi. The question is, does the galaxy still need the Jedi, or are they an institution better left in the past?
If Ridley’s time onThe Rise of Skywalkerset made her feel extra confident, I can only imagine how overjoyed she’ll feel returning forNew Jedi Order.She’ll be the “Jedi Master,” a returningStar Warsalumna much the same way Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford once were.
GivenNew Jedi Order’s placement intheStar Warstimeline, there are infinite storytelling opportunities.Star Warscould explore a new direction, and with a deservedly confident Daisy Ridley at the helm, it’s hard not to feel equally confident about the franchise’s post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalkerfuture.
The Mandalorian and Grogu
